While the Moon Waits
by TheDarkUnknown
Summary: "How in one night have we come so far?" Can love really blossom after just one night? Chris and Kim's story was more than just a night, and here are the missing pieces of their puzzle. And who really is Gigi Van Tranh? What is her connection to Kim, and what role will she play in the two lovers' lives? Sometimes, you learn the most from the least likely people you know.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Never thought I'd end up like this…" Kim murmured to herself.

She looked around her surroundings, taking in the dim lights, musky air, and touching bodies. She worked in this so-called 'Dreamland' as a bar girl, and tonight was her first working night. She shouldn't have trusted that man, Tran Van Dinh, when he offered her this job. But how could she refuse? She needed shelter, food, and water.

Kim walked around carrying her tray, and collected empty beer bottles from tables. Her job was pretty easy; she just had to clean the tables and serve drinks to the customers. When the Engineer offered her this job, he assured her that she wouldn't have to do the funny business, as that was reserved for the prostitutes. But after an hour of her first night, she wasn't getting her hopes up of finishing this night untouched. Especially because of the glances several patrons were sending her way.

"Kim!" The Engineer approached her, his left hand holding a thick wad of cash.

"Ah, there's my princess. Now, come 'ere little girl, and see that man. His name's Chris, and he's taken a liking to you. What do you say?"

Kim glanced at the man. He was that GI giving her sidelong glances throughout the night, but not in the dirty way the others did. She could tell he was uncomfortable, and she watched him say something to his friend. She guessed that the GI's friend was behind all of this.

Looking back at the smiling face of the Engineer, Kim swallowed a lump. "Uh, Mister Tran—"

"Engineer. You may call me Engineer, little princess."

Another swallow. "Yes, of course. Engineer, I was thinking of…uhm, cleaning the countertop of the bar. It's so grimy, don't you think? I better get to work!"

Kim hurriedly turned away, but the Engineer caught her arm. He was still smiling, but his eyes were as sharp as daggers.

"Now, now, my pet. You don't want to disappoint me, do you? And you know what will happen if you disappoint me, right?"

"Y-yes, monsieur Engineer."

The Engineer patted her cheek, smiling. "Now, that's a good girl. Do your job, and make it quick."

He took the tray from her hands, and he pulled Kim towards the waiting GI and his friend. The Engineer put the tray in front of Kim's face, then he pulled it aside like a curtain.

"Voila!" With that, the Engineer and the GI's friend left.

Kim stared at the man, and the man stared back. It was awkward in the extreme, and finally, the GI looked down at the floor, putting a hand on the back of his neck.

Then he said, "Uhm, this was a mistake. My friend, John, set me up for this. Sorry."

He then took a step back.

Kim could see from the corners of her eyes that the Engineer was watching them.

She stepped forward and said, "I-I like this song. I'm not sure what it is, but I find the saxophone relaxing."

The GI, Chris, looked at her in the eyes and even gave a tiny smile. "Dance?"

He extended a hand, and although nervous, Kim accepted it.

They danced awkwardly, stiffly, neither looking at each other. Kim could still feel the Engineer's gaze on her back.

"Might as well get my job done…" she thought.

Kim looked at Chris's eyes and said in a small voice, "My name is Kim."

Chris smiled at her and softly replied, "Well, nice to meet you, Kim. I'm Chris."

They both chuckled, and after that, well, things got awkward again.

Taking a deep breath, Kim wrapped her arms around his neck, having to stand on the tips of her toes (God, he was tall), and in her best 'seductive' voice, said, "I like you, Chris."

It didn't work like how Kim expected it to. Chris pushed her away, clearly annoyed. "Oh, Jesus. Don't talk like that."

"What did I say?"

"Just…you-you shouldn't be here!"

Chris pulled out his wallet, took some money, and then pushed it into Kim's palm. He looked into her eyes intensely, as if pleading. "Get the hell out of here."

Kim stood there, confused, as he started to walk away. She barely noticed the Engineer charging towards her until he dug his nails into her elbow and pulled her back towards the GI.

"What's going on? You don't like her?" The Engineer's nails dug even harder in her skin. She could feel the wounds and bruises starting to form.

Chris came back, annoyance evident in his face. He gave the Engineer a rough shove and pulled Kim behind him protectively. "Don't mess with her. Of course, I like her."

Kim could see the Engineer's eyes darting around. She knew he was thinking of something bad. Before he could sell her to the other men, Kim quickly played her part and said, "I like him, too."

The Engineer smiled. "Ah…well then, take her away."

Chris stepped forward as if to punch the man, but Kim held him back. She didn't want to get in trouble, even if that meant satisfying the need to punch the greedy Engineer.

"No. Please, don't say a word. Just come with me."

Chris glanced at her and sighed. "Okay."

The two of them crossed the room, avoiding the other prostitutes and men who were shamelessly getting at it in the bar. Kim led Chris up a small staircase and into the room the Engineer gave her. It was small and simple; it only had a small bed, a small window overlooking the city, and a small table with a basin of water and a hand towel. Kim's few belongings which she had managed to save were pushed in the corner.

As she entered the room with the GI following behind her, Kim felt her stomach drop. Chris seemed kind enough, but she was still uneasy, because what man doesn't want a girl's flesh? Kim remembered what Gigi, one of the senior prostitutes, told her.

"Stop that pretense of a virgin if you don't want to get hurt. And don't ever believe those bullshit things that there will be a man who's going to be different, who's going to save you from this hell. You're all on your own here."

When they were both inside the small room, Kim locked the door and turned off the lights. She proceeded to remove her white dress and white shoes. In her mind, she repeated over and over, "Do your job, Kim. Don't think. Do your job, Kim. Don't think…"

She then sat on the bed, waiting. She watched Chris remove his army jacket and drape it on the table. He then proceeded to remove his shirt also. Kim was starting to feel even more uneasy, but she told herself that this was her reality now.

"Let's just get this over with," she heard herself say. Her voice trembled, but she tried to stay composed.

Chris just nodded at her silently, then he sat on the bed facing her. He put his hands around her, and Kim closed her eyes as he unclasped her bra. After a few seconds, Kim felt the cold wind brushing against her, making her feel so exposed.

"Kim…" Chris whispered.

Kim could only shake her head. Chris pushed her onto the bed gently, and he kissed her. It was gentle and full of hesitation, and Kim closed her eyes, feeling the strangeness of this gesture so new to her. His lips were soft and warm, and then they were gone. She opened her eyes when he pulled away, and she took in a deep breath as she put her arms on her underwear, ready to pull it down, ready to expose herself to this stranger, even though deep inside her, she didn't want to.

But she never came around to doing it, because this strange man prevented her from doing so. He took her hands and held them in his.

"No."

They both sat up, and Kim looked at him in confusion.

"What?" she asked softly.

"I said no. We-I can't do this to you."

Kim was secretly relieved, but her mind was still wondering why he had stopped her. Surely it was a trick?

"Monsieur Chris, I do not understand. This is my job, and you paid me to do this," she told him.

"Well, technically, my friend paid for this. But, really, we can't do this. Just-just rest, okay? Sleep here, because I can see that you've been through a lot. Just rest."

"But if the Engineer finds out, he'll—"

"No, don't worry. I won't tell. Sleep."

Kim just looked at him for a few moments, then nodded her head. Only then did she remember that her upper torso was bare, and that the man was still looking at her. She wrapped her arms around her, doing her best to shield herself from his view.

"Here, wear my shirt. It's much more comfortable than that dress," Chris told her as he gave her his discarded shirt.

Kim took it silently, nodding her head in a simple thanks, then turned around to put it on. After that, she lay down on the bed and shut her eyes. In a few moments, she was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When Kim awoke, he was gone. She sighed to herself and thought that she should have known better. Did she really expect him to lie in bed with her? She cursed herself for thinking that he would be different, just because he let her rest last night. Gigi's words echoed once again in her mind.

"You're all on your own here."

She was about to stand up when Chris came in her room. He was dressed pretty much the same, and judging by the amount of light that entered the door when it was opened, it was still pretty early.

"You're awake," he said.

She just nodded, and then looked down. Suddenly, the floor was very interesting now.

Kim felt the bed dip under his weight, and when she looked up, she saw him studying her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What?" she asked.

Chris just sighed, and then took out his wallet. He pulled out a couple of bills and pushed it into Kim's hands.

"Here, this money's yours. Please take it all."

Kim counted the money. It had a total of 85 dollars. It wasn't that much, but she knew that it was probably very hard to earn, since times were very difficult since the war started. She heard him speak again. "Hey, you want more?"

She shook her head and gave him back the money. They didn't do anything last night, so technically, she didn't do her job. "No, I don't want anything."

"What is wrong with you?"

Kim snapped her head up and stared at him after he said those words. He was annoyed, judging by the tone of his voice.

"It isn't right to accept money from you when I didn't even do my job, and in fact, I should be the one to pay you because you let me rest. Besides, you already paid the Engineer. That's more than enough."

She stared at him, and noticed for the first time his piercing blue eyes. She hadn't noticed them before because of the dim light.

Chris just shrugged and put on his belt which he left on the table last night. He was tall, she observed, and he was still young compared to his comrades. Kim stood up, and tapped him on the shoulder. When Chris turned around, she said in a small voice, "Will you be back tonight?"

Kim mentally kicked herself because it sounded like she was expecting him to come back to her. She added hurriedly, "I mean, if you'll be back tonight, I'll return your shirt. I-I'll wash it, I promise."

Chris replied, "Yeah, I'll be back. I can assure you, because my friend, John, will drag me here one way or another."

"I take it you are not like your other friends, then," Kim said with a smile as she sat on the bed, observing his actions.

Chris just shrugged. "I don't know. For me, everyone is the same. All the men are searching for something fun to distract them from the war. All the girls here lie because they all just want to get out of Vietnam."

Remembering who he was talking to, Chris quickly added, "Maybe you're not like that, but I don't know who you are."

Kim replied quietly, "No, I'm nothing like them, and I will never be."

Chris just stared at her, then said, "Like I said: how should I know?"

She was irritated, and slowly growing angry. This man just explicitly stated that he saw all the women here in Vietnam the same, and he was acting like he didn't have the slightest clue what people were going through in her country. She stood up noisily, and glared at him.

She said through clenched teeth, "'How should I know?' You should very well know what's going on here, and don't you dare liken me to the other girls here because you haven't got the slightest clue what my life is about. You don't know my story, but you should know how this goddamn war affected my life!"

Chris returned her glare and said, "Hey, you work in this bar, don't you? So why shouldn't I liken you to the other girls here?"

Chris immediately felt guilty of what he just said. When he said this, Kim staggered back as if she was slapped. She felt her eyes brim with tears, but she tried not to let them fall.

"Do you want one more tale of a Vietnam girl? Want to know I was bound to a man I don't love? Do you want to be told how my village was burned? Want to hear how my family was blasted away? How I ran from the rice fields and saw them in flames? How my parents were bodies whose faces were gone?!"

She was shouting now, and the tears were dripping down her cheeks. Chris just stood there in silence, not knowing how to respond.

Kim continued in a hushed voice, "I have had my fill of pain. I will not look back again. I would rather die!"

She turned her back to him, collected her clothes and shoes, and proceeded to exit the room. But Chris blocked her way, and since he was bigger than her, she couldn't find a way out. After a few seconds, she stopped trying to move pass him and just stood in front of him, her face down. She shut her eyes, trying to stop the flow of hot tears.

"Kim…" she heard him whisper.

She refused to look at him, and she concentrated on stopping the tears that were stubbornly rolling down her cheeks. She didn't want him to see her cry, yet here she was. So she averted her face so that he couldn't see any more than she wanted him to.

She felt his hands fall lightly on her shoulders, and she shook her head, finally looking at him with red eyes.

"Kim," he repeated her name. "Kim, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, monsieur Chris. Forgive me for being rude to you. As payment, I will be under your command until the bar opens, and you may do as you please with me," she answered in a monotone. Her face was blank and hard to read, but Chris saw in her eyes a young, afraid, and hurt girl. He pulled her closer to his chest.

"Kim, please. Just…" he trailed off.

He just shook his head, knowing that apologizing would be fruitless. He tilted her chin so he could see her face better, and he said, "Can I see you tonight?"

Kim scrunched her eyebrows together, not quite believing her ears. She took a breath to try and clear her head before answering.

"Well, I'll be at the club… selling _beaucoup amour_ …"

She could only watch as Chris shook his head frantically, a sense of urgency in his eyes. "No. No, you won't. H—how would you like…?"

Kim sat on the chair near the door, looking at him with confusion and suspicion. Despite what she thought he was saying, she still felt unsure, mostly because of Gigi's warning. Could it be…?

"How would I like…?" she asked.

"How would you like…staying with me? It just…feels good right here, so I think that's how it should be. So, would you like?"

Chris knelt in front of her, holding her hands. His blue eyes looked so hopeful, and Kim found herself staring helplessly into them.

She heard herself say, "Yes, I would like."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kim found herself smiling as she watched Chris descend the small staircase, then turn around to wave goodbye before disappearing into the street. She stayed in her spot and watched as he walked away, until she could no longer see him.

With a contented sigh, she entered the small room and proceeded to clean the small space and make the bed. As she folded the thin blanket, she couldn't help but notice that the room smelled like Chris' intoxicating cologne. With a smile, she placed the folded blanket on the newly made bed.

"Mama, Papa, please, watch over me. Guide me, and protect me. I can only hope that you'll forgive me one day," Kim whispered, glancing at the small picture frame on the small table.

With that, she started to wash herself with the towel and water on the table, and then change into a fresh dress before going downstairs to start her day.

* * *

"So? How was it?" Gigi demanded, blocking her way towards the bar.

Kim moved to duck under her arm, but Gigi stubbornly stayed put, not wanting to let her go without an answer.

"It was fine," Kim replied curtly, purposefully being vague with her answer.

The older woman snorted at this, apparently unsatisfied with the response. She raised her eyebrows at her, then gripped Kim's arms. "What? No sob story? 'Oh, it was horrible!' or 'It hurt!' Are you toying with me?"

Kim winced as she felt Gigi's hands tighten around her arms. If the Engineer's grip had bruised her, she was sure that Gigi's would cause her to break some bones. With clenched teeth, she said, "He didn't sleep with me. We just talked, then he let me rest."

Finally, Gigi released her, and Kim rubbed the sore muscles of her arms. The older woman was staring at her with disbelief, and a small touch of… _envy?_ She watched as Gigi observed her with a suspicious look.

"Can I go now?" Kim asked.

Gigi's answer was quick and sharp. "Go. You're not fooling anyone with that story. All men are the same in this fucking world." With that, she left, leaving Kim staring after her with a look of annoyance.

When she entered the bar, she was greeted by the sight of the flimsy Engineer giving her a wide-toothed smile. She felt the hairs on her arms stand on end as he approached her, a look of approval on his face.

"My, my. My little princess made her good ol' Engineer proud. Aren't you a good girl?" he said as he patted her head.

Kim stood silently, not wishing to say or do anything that might get her in trouble. Her eyes followed the Engineer's movements. Finally, after a few moments, the Engineer barked out, "Get back to work!"

She gave a small jump of surprise at his sudden change in demeanour, then headed towards the small drawer which contained some rags. She took one out, and began scrubbing at the tables with such an intensity that made them shine. She thought to herself, _God, how in the world had my life come so far?_

She wished for her life to change, though she knew that that was impossible. She was naïve in so many ways, but she wasn't _that_ naïve to dream of princes on white horses to come and rescue her from this hellhole. But, despite the darkness that the war brought to her life, she somehow found a small flicker of light. Kim smiled as she thought of the strange GI named Chris. Perhaps he could be her friend. He did seem kind enough…

"Kim!"

Kim jumped when she heard her name being called. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, and she stayed rooted to her spot as she watched the Engineer approach her.

"Yes, Engineer?" she asked, playing the role of a good, submissive bar girl.

The Engineer eyed her up and down, and after giving a sigh, he took her arm and led her towards the doors of the bar. "Yes, yes…I suppose you'll do."

"What? 'I'll do' for what?" Kim asked, bewildered.

The Engineer stopped to face her, and he took the rag from her hands and tossed it to a nearby table. "Why, for advertisement of course! I'd normally choose one of the _better_ girls, but you, my dear, are in need of some experience. You have to learn, _princess_."

"I have to learn what? How can I do what you want me to do if I don't know what it is?" Kim asked, her voice now a bit higher than it usually was. She felt her knees shake a little. Whatever the old man in front of her was thinking, it was probably not good.

"You have to learn…" the Engineer laughed, patting her cheek with his grimy hands not so gently. He stood there, chuckling and looking so calm that Kim felt much more frightened than she already was. It was scary enough to have the Engineer barking and yelling orders and obscenities at you, but to have him smiling and laughing, well…it was scarier than this whole war. That was for sure.

Suddenly, his face turned sharp and he slapped her across her face. Kim felt the stinging sensation on her cheek as she looked down at the floor.

"Dear, dear girl…dare you question me?" the Engineer spat, grabbing a fistful of her hair as he pulled her to look at him. Kim could only stare at him with fear.

"If I ask you to do something, you do it," he hissed. "You don't ask questions, nor do you defy me. I already warned you what would happen if you disobey or disappoint me, didn't I?"

Kim nodded her head, keeping her mouth shut and doing her best to look earnest.

The Engineer roughly shoved her away, releasing his hold on her hair. Kim looked down at her feet, her head bowed and hands clasped in front of her. "Forgive me, Engineer."

The man gave her a look of annoyance and clicked his tongue. "Yes, yes. Forgiven, of course," he said impatiently. "But, remember my words, princess. If you think my warnings are bad enough, well…you're in for a real treat if I get _too upset_ with you. You don't know yet what I am capable of."

Kim straightened, but kept her eyes on the floor. As Gigi walked past them, the Engineer's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. "Isn't that right, Gigi? You know what your old man here is capable of, right?"

Gigi looked at the Engineer in confusion at first, but when she saw the red mark on Kim's cheek, her eyes hardened and she answered in a steely voice, "Yes."

The Engineer let the older girl go, and turning to face Kim, he said, "Come with me."

He turned around and resumed walking, and Kim followed behind, her steps a bit quicker to match the Engineer's brisk pace.

She didn't hear Gigi whispering behind them, "Good luck, Kim. May the gods you so believe in watch over you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Kim tailed behind the Engineer, keeping her eyes down and her pace quick. She dared not open her mouth to ask another question, for fear of angering the man further. Inside, she was bubbling with curiosity and fear, and she did not like not knowing what the Engineer was going to make her do.

Suddenly, he stopped, and Kim had to dig her heels on the ground so as not to bump into the man. After a few seconds of just standing behind the Engineer, Kim raised her eyes to take in her surroundings. They were on the side of a road near a marketplace, and Kim could see a few people walking around. There weren't many villagers, but there were a few who had opened their stalls in hopes of making money. There were American soldiers, too, walking around carrying guns and rifles.

The Engineer scanned the area, then he grabbed Kim's arm, a grin forming on his face.

"Come one! Come all!" he shouted, attracting everybody's attention. Kim felt herself tremble with dreaded anticipation of what was to come.

"See one of my finest girls, monsieur! She's new, this little girl. Come and visit Dreamland, a place where miracles take place! Miracles which will leave you flushed and wanting for more, if you catch my drift…" the Engineer continued, wagging his eyebrows at some soldiers.

Some soldiers were now eyeing Kim up and down, and some were whooping and slapping their friends' backs. Kim inched behind the Engineer, but the man pulled her forward, making her yelp.

"Yes, come closer, my friends! See, this little one in my hands is a bit shy. Still tight, she is. Just new to this, I must say. Want to explore her, men? Want to get a taste of what my bar has to offer?"

The Engineer showed her off by pushing her in front of him. A soldier stepped forward, licking his lips disgustingly, and he grabbed her arm, and planted wet kisses along the length of it. Kim tried to pull away, but with the Engineer holding her in place from behind, and the man's strong grip on her, it hardly made a difference.

She closed her eyes, willing herself not to throw up on the man. Suddenly, she felt his lips leave her skin, and when she looked up, she saw the Engineer shoving the man away from her.

"Now, now, monsieur. You mustn't take advantage of this wee princess of mine…unless of course, you pay," the Engineer said, his palms turned up and his fingers moving up and down, demanding the money.

"Well, how much for the girl, anyway?" the soldier asked, pulling out his wallet.

"Well, monsieur, as I told you, she is just new to this. But don't they say that fresh meat is the best?" the Engineer laughed, patting Kim's head. "And of course, I can't let you perform such acts in the middle of the street, can I? That wouldn't be proper! Come to the bar tonight, and then you can ravish little Kim here."

The soldier smiled at her, showing off his tobacco-stained teeth. He eyed her up and down again, then said, "Very well. But how about a few touches and kisses, Engineer? How much for that?"

Kim gulped, feeling her eyes water from humiliation. Here she was, being bartered and showed off like some piece of meat. With a shudder, she realised that she was, indeed, like a piece of meat being showed off to these disgusting dogs.

"30 dollars, mon ami," the Engineer said, stretching his palm to the soldier.

"30 dollars?! That much for this whore?" the man yelled.

Other soldiers were now whistling and whooping louder, and Kim searched frantically for a friendly face amongst the crowd. The soldiers were calling her names, the village men were looking at her with either lust or disgust, and the women were looking at her with pity. None of them would be willing to help her.

"Yes, 30 dollars. As I said, fresh meat don't come cheap."

The soldier sighed, then slapped the money on the Engineer's waiting hand.

The Engineer pushed her forward, and before Kim knew it, the soldier pinned her on the wall, his hands roaming up and down her body and his mouth sucking and kissing her neck.

The tears she had been holding back were now freely rolling down her cheeks, and Kim shut her eyes, not wanting to see the soldier before her and the other people watching her. She struggled against the man's hold, but he was much stronger than her.

"Please, please stop…Please!" she cried, her body twisting in an attempt to get away from the man.

The soldier raised his face to glare at her, then he grabbed a fistful of her hair. He turned towards his friends who were watching and said, "Hear that, boys? The whore's pleading and begging. Doesn't that turn you on?"

The men laughed and jeered in response. Kim glanced at the Engineer who was watching the spectacle before him with a smile on his face.

"How about after I finish, you all take your turn, too?" the soldier asked, shaking Kim in front of the others.

The men cheered, but the Engineer stepped forward, pointing a grimy finger at each of the men. "Ah, ah, ah…not so fast, men. Pay up if you want to get a taste!"

With a few grumbles, the other soldiers took out their wallets and began paying the Engineer.

The soldier who was holding her began his assault on her body once more. Kim cried out, trying desperately to get away from him, as well as the other soldiers awaiting their turn. Suddenly, the soldier who was in front of her slapped her, and Kim felt a bruise starting to form on her already stinging cheek.

"Shut up, whore! I paid for you, so stop whining and do your job! You know you want this," the man said, and Kim could only shake her head. The tears were still flowing, but she kept her mouth shut.

Soon, the man finished groping and kissing her, then another soldier took his place. This one was a lot worse than the first. His hands travelled down her sides, and he planted a kiss on her lips. Kim gagged at the smell of his breath.

"Please stop…please…" she cried, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

She was so humiliated. Five men had paid to assault her, and the other people watching were doing nothing to help her. They just stared on, as if what was happening was some sort of entertainment. She was so afraid right now, and the unsettling fear in her stomach only grew worse when she thought of what would happen should this men indeed come to the bar tonight.

Kim's thoughts travelled to the friendly and kind GI, Chris. Where was he right now? If he was here, would he do the same as these men were doing? Or would he defend her, and push away these lustful pigs? Or would he merely watch without doing anything?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the second man knelt in front of her. She struggled harder, thinking that in his current position, she would somehow escape the man's hold. But he held her still, and before Kim knew it, his hands travelled up her dress, caressing her inner thighs.

She cried louder this time, "Please stop! Have mercy on me! Please!"

Her cries were once again drowned out by the cheers of the other soldiers.

Kim closed her eyes, willing herself to think of something, anything, to get her mind off the humiliation and torment of this moment.

'Chris…' she thought.

Her mind went blank.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Kim finally regained her senses, she found herself being dragged by the Engineer.

Her face was tear-stained, and she looked around, finding that they were only a short distance away from the marketplace.

"I'm proud of you, dear," the Engineer chuckled, and Kim turned to face him.

"After that second man's turn was done, you just stood there like the good little girl you are. You didn't even struggle when the third one grabbed your chest," the Engineer laughed louder this time. Kim felt her lower lip tremble.

She was so humiliated. She was so afraid. But she kept silent.

"You should be flattered, princess. Five men paid 30 dollars for just a few kisses and touches."

Kim glared at the Engineer. "You monster…"

The Engineer's hand shot up, striking her face again.

"You should be grateful to me, whore. I give you food, water, shelter, and money. I also make you feel desirable, don't I? Be flattered, foolish girl! Men are paying for a slut like you! Keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you!" he shouted.

Kim brought a hand to her bruised cheek. She winced, and when she pulled her hand away, she saw blood coating her fingers. The Engineer's ring had cut her cheek.

He dragged her again, and Kim looked down, walking as fast as the Engineer was. Her eyes were red from crying, but no tears fell this time. Her neck was sore from the bites of the soldiers, and her whole body felt dirty. She didn't want to think of what would await her tonight.

When they arrived at the bar, the Engineer shoved her into the kitchen, and barked out, "Get to work!"

Kim nodded, then she turned towards the other girl in the kitchen who was cooking something. "What can I do?"

The other girl—Mimi, Kim remembered—looked at her distastefully, then handed her the knife. "Chop the onions and the carrots."

Kim obliged and got to work. Her head was reeling, and she forced herself not to think of what happened in the marketplace.

The day was nothing but a blur to Kim. She remembered chopping the vegetables Mimi had asked her to, then she remembered sweeping the floor and scrubbing it with rags soaked with soapy water. The whole time she was doing her chores, she didn't see the Engineer. When she asked one of the kinder girls where the old man was, the girl told her that he was probably worming himself to the good graces of some soldiers so he could get out of Vietnam.

Kim was grateful for that. She didn't think she would stand being in the presence of that monster for a whole day.

Before she knew it, night had arrived, and the Engineer returned. Kim ducked her head and moved quickly, afraid to be caught by the man. She stood to the side as the other girls were now stripping their dresses and putting on heels.

The Engineer put on the same red jacket he had been wearing last night and began barking at the girls. "Do your job, but make it quick! We don't want to waste time, do we? These men out there have pockets lined with cash, so if you want to get out of this hellhole, do your job like the good girls you are!"

Kim tried to move away from the Engineer and into the shadows, but the man spotted her. "You! Why are you still in that dress?"

One of the girls said, "Probably still shy. She's a _virgin_ , isn't she? Poor little thing, scared out of her mind."

The others began to laugh and mock her, and Kim bit her lip and dropped her eyes to the ground.

The Engineer approached her, his eyes gleaming maliciously. "Still shy, are you? Well, after your performance this morning, I would have thought that you were much bolder now!"

He laughed, then he yanked her to the middle. The other girls were making fun of her, and Kim felt herself grow tired from all this. She had been living in this bar for three days now, and working in it for two days. She was so tired from the laughs and jeers and mocking. She felt dirty and humiliated.

The old man pulled her closer to him, then he said, "White doesn't suit you anymore, _princess_. You can go on and pretend like a virgin all you want, but don't you dare think for a moment that I'd believe that little act of yours."

Kim looked at him in fear.

"Besides, you can't keep the evidence from me, little girl. I went up to your room to investigate, and the patches of blood on the bed are enough to prove you aren't _pure_ anymore," the Engineer sneered.

Kim's eyes widened at what he said. He went up to _her_ room? She kicked herself mentally, scolding herself for not thinking of that. But, the Engineer said there were patches of blood on the bed… Kim looked at the man in confusion.

Suddenly, the Engineer shoved her away, and Kim stumbled a little before regaining her footing. The Engineer yelled, "Get out of that dress!"

As Kim was undoing the buttons on her dress, she managed to catch Gigi's eye. The older woman was looking at her with an unreadable expression on her face. Kim was about to turn away, when she spotted the bandages wound around Gigi's wrist. Her eyes widened, and she snapped her eyes up to meet the older woman's face.

"Gigi…" she whispered.

Gigi only gave her a small nod in response.

Kim was now standing in nothing but her underwear and white ballet shoes. Her white dress was pooled around her ankles, and she bent over to grab it and put it away. As she was walking to the tables on the side of the dressing room, she heard the girls laugh again.

"Would you look at that? The little princess is red all over! Good job, little girl! You finally have your first love marks!"

They continued to laugh and jeer at her. Kim looked down at her body to find that her arms were covered in hand-shaped bruises, her legs were lined with scratches, and her neck covered with bite marks. Her eyes began to water again.

Suddenly, the Engineer's booming voice was heard from the main bar. "Welcome folks! Welcome to…Dreamland!"

The other girls quickly made their way to the other side of the door and into the main bar. From where Kim was standing, she saw dark shapes of men and smelled the stink of alcohol. She stepped forward, hesitating a little bit, when she heard Gigi's voice behind her, "Hurry up and get in there. It would do you no good if you make the Engineer mad again."

Kim looked at the older woman. She glanced at Gigi's bandaged wrist, then asked, "Wh—what happened to your wrist?"

She felt like she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from Gigi's lips. The woman said, "Do you really need to ask?"

Kim bit her lip, shaking her head. Gigi sighed and said, "Don't thank me for it. And don't think that just because I did that, we're now suddenly friends. Like I said, you're all on your own here."

She brushed past Kim, and after a few moments of pondering the older woman's words, Kim followed.

"You're all on your own here…" Gigi had said.

Kim, however, felt like she wasn't alone anymore.

She stepped into the barroom, and her eyes frantically scanned the room for Chris.

Her eyes found him sitting on a chair, sipping his beer quietly. He was glaring at his friend exasperatedly, and Kim saw him say something to his friend.

She stepped forward, eager to make her way to the friendly blue-eyed GI. She was halfway to his table when he looked up and spotted her.

His jaw dropped and he murmured, "What the hell…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"What the hell…" he murmured.

Kim stopped and watched Chris set his beer down on the table and stride towards her. He was looking at her in disbelief, and Kim lowered her head to avoid his scrutinizing gaze.

Chris stopped in front of her, then he put his fingers on her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Kim watched him as he took in her appearance, her eyes watering once more from the humiliation.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked, but his voice held no anger. Just disbelief.

"I…I was...the Engineer…" Kim stuttered, her eyes darting around and looking at anything but his face.

Chris let out a sharp breath, and said in a hushed voice laced with fury, "What did he do to you? I'm going to kill that man…"

Suddenly, the two of them were separated by the Engineer himself. Kim wrapped her arms around her body protectively, watching as the Engineer slapped Chris' back.

"Ah, monsieur Chris! Welcome back, mon ami. Having fun, I see?" the man laughed.

Chris kept silent, his eyes ablaze with concealed anger and his mouth in a straight line.

"You did quite a job to little Kim here," the man chuckled. "Tell me, did she cry? Did she plead for you to stop?"

"No…" Chris said. He glanced at Kim and gave her a reassuring look.

"Ah, well. I must say I am quite surprised that you _did_ deflower my little princess here. You made quite a mess on the bed, too," the Engineer laughed, patting Chris' back not so gently.

Chris gave Kim a questioning glance, to which Kim mouthed the word _'blood'_ to him. His eyes widened in understanding, and he nodded at the Engineer.

"Yes, well, didn't I tell you that I liked her?" Chris said.

"Heh, that you did. So, I'm assuming you'd want another go with her?" the Engineer said, eyeing Kim up and down with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, I'd like that," Chris replied, stepping next to Kim and taking her hand.

"Very well, but you must be quick. My princess here is on demand by many customers tonight. She made quite an impression on them this morning." The Engineer stretched his palm and licked his lips greedily, waiting for the money.

"Is that right?" Chris asked, pulling Kim behind him protectively. His voice was tight with anger, but the Engineer didn't seem to notice. "I want her for the rest of the night, Engineer."

"No can do, monsieur Chris. I've got to satisfy my other customers, you see," the Engineer replied, stretching an arm towards a couple of men seated on a large table.

"I'll pay you handsomely," Chris said, taking out his wallet. "100 dollars. For the whole night."

The Engineer hesitated, then he clicked his tongue and gave them a small nod. "Very well."

Chris took out the money and handed it to the man, before leading Kim up the staircase and into her room.

When they entered Kim's room, Chris locked the door behind them and said, "Okay, I've got a ton of questions for you, but first things first. What the hell happened to you?"

Kim crossed her arms and sat on the bed. "It's none of your business."

Chris sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. "Kim, please tell me."

She turned to look at him and said through clenched teeth, "Why do you care?" Her eyes were watering again, and she raised a hand to wipe the stubborn tears threatening to roll down her cheeks.

Chris said, "I…I care about you, Kim. I want to help you. Please, tell me…"

With a sigh, she replied, "Those men that the Engineer referred to as my _'other customers'_ …"

"Yes?"

"They…they caused this," she said, her hands gesturing to the marks and bruises on her body.

"What?" Chris asked, his eyebrows knitting together. "They…they…they took advantage of you?"

"No, they didn't…" Kim whispered. "They plan to, though. Tonight. But because you paid the Engineer, I'm safe from them…for now."

Chris sat on the bed, next to her. "Talk to me. Maybe, it will help." He rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Kim closed her eyes and told him everything that happened at the marketplace that morning. She told him about the humiliation she felt as those men violated her body, and she told him about the pain she felt by the fact that no one stepped forward to help her.

When she finished, she was shaking and sobbing, and Chris put an arm around her. She buried her face in his chest, willing herself to calm down.

Kim shivered, and when she pulled away, she covered herself with her arms again.

They were quiet for a moment, then Chris asked, "What about that? Did you do that?" He gestured at the bedsheets stained with blood.

Kim shook her head. "No. Although, I wish that _I did_ do that. If it weren't for Gigi, I would have gotten into trouble for…not doing my job."

Chris nodded, "Yeah, you're right. We should've been more careful."

He stood up, got rid of his jacket, and placed it around her shoulders. "Here, wear this."

Kim put the olive green jacket on, and after doing the buttons, she said, "Thanks. Your shirt is here, somewhere. Although, I forgot to wash it, after all that happened."

Chris stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder and said, "It's alright. You can have it. I have plenty of shirts, anyway." With a smile, he added, "You can keep my jacket, too."

With a small laugh, Kim positioned herself on the bed so that she was leaning on the stack of pillows with her legs stretched out in front of her. Chris did the same, and they sat there side by side, not doing anything.

"So, what now?" Chris asked.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?" Kim asked. After a pause, she turned her head away and said, "You shouldn't have done that, you know."

Chris turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"You shouldn't have paid the Engineer for the whole night. 100 dollars? That's too much. If you keep doing this, pretty soon, you'll end up broke," she said.

"Kim, I want to help you, okay? It's worth it. After all, we're friends, aren't we? If I have to pay a hundred dollars every night to help you, I'd do it. Friends help one another," Chris smiled, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"We're friends?" Kim asked, looking up at his face with her large eyes.

"Well, I consider you my friend. But if you don't see me as yours, well…this is awkward," he laughed.

Kim had to smile at his attempt for humour. "Yes, you're my friend."

Chris pulled her closer to him, and rested his cheek on top of her head. "So, Kim…tell me about yourself."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Is this an interrogation?"

"No, it's an introduction," he smiled.

"Well, I'm seventeen years old, and I work in this bar," she said drily.

"That's very informative."

"Sarcasm doesn't really suit you, you know," Kim said, rolling her eyes at him. She then added, "Well, my full name is Sui Kim, I love to read, I love to paint, and I love to sing."

"Sing?" he asked. Then he smiled at her, his blue eyes gleaming as he thought of something. "Sing for me."

"What?" Kim laughed.

"Sing for me. I want to hear you sing."

Kim shrugged at him, then she pursed her lips and hummed the melody of the saxophone last night. As she hummed the song of the saxophone, Chris closed his eyes to savour her voice. There weren't any words to her song, of course, but still she managed to capture the story of the music through her humming.

When Kim finished, Chis opened his eyes and smiled. "That was nice. Well, let me tell you about myself then. I like to eat, I like to jog in the mornings, and I like to sing, also."

Kim just smiled at him.

"You should smile more, you know," Chris said.

Sighing, Kim brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top of them. "Well, there isn't much of a reason to smile, you know."

Chris took her hands in his and said, "Maybe. But at least you have a friend now, don't you? I want to help you, Kim. I want to save you from this war."

"How?" she asked.

"Come with me. I'll take you with me to America."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

They spent the night in each other's arms, and Kim never felt safer than that night. All the events of the previous day drifted into the back of her mind, and for the first time in months, she felt safe.

The next day, when she awoke, she found Chris sitting by the window, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Quietly stepping out of bed, she walked towards him.

"Lost in thought, are we? What has gotten into that blond head of yours?" she teased, smiling as he gave a startled yelp at her sudden appearance.

He turned his head to face her, and gave her a sheepish smile. "Just…I was just thinking of what would happen after the war."

Kim nodded sympathetically, sitting on the table and looking out the window. It was still early, and she caught sight of the first rays of the sun. The light turned the sky a pinkish hue, fading into violet and then back to the dark blue of the night sky. She absolutely loved this time of the day, where it seemed as if night and day were fighting for dominance over the canvas of the heavens.

"I'm not sure if I should go with you," Kim whispered.

"Why?"

She sighed, "It's just that, I don't want to burden you. Don't get me wrong: I really appreciate your offer, and I'd love to go with you. But I can't let you spend any more money on me. You've done a lot for me already."

Chris turned around and took her hands in his. "Kim, I told you, I'd gladly spend another hundred dollars just to help you. Friends help one another."

She looked down, her eyes focusing on her bare feet. "You're right. But you're the only one who's doing the helping here. I haven't yet done anything to help you."

"But that's where you're wrong. You are helping me, you know."

"How?" she asked.

"You're giving me hope. I've done terrible things as a soldier, and somehow, with you, it feels like not all is lost. I feel that there is still good in the world…that there's still good in _me_."

Kim shook her head and said, "I know there's good in you, Chris. I hate this whole war, too. And I don't blame you for the horrible things around us. I just hope that this will all end soon, and no more blood will be shed."

Chris just smiled at her. "How do you do that?"

"What?" Kim asked, tilting her head to the side.

"How are you both so idealistic and realistic at the same time? How do you manage to have hope after all the things that's happened to your country? To you?"

Placing her arms around his shoulders, she rested her chin on top of his head. "I have to have hope. It's all that I have left."

"Your hope is one of the things that I love most about you," Chris said, his hands caressing Kim's arms. He immediately felt her stiffen.

"What?" Kim asked, her body rigid against his. She took a few steps backward, and Chris turned his head and gave her a sheepish smile.

"Heh, guess that was uncalled for, huh?" he chuckled while he scratched the back of his neck.

Kim just shook her head, then said, "Chris, what are we, exactly?"

"Friends?" he tried lamely. But he could see Kim looking at him dubiously, so he said, "I don't really know, honestly."

When she made no answer, he continued. "I really love spending time with you, and I feel like I can talk to you, you know? You…you make me feel something I don't understand. I just…I don't know what that something is yet."

Kim nodded her head slowly. "I…I understand. I feel the same about you. But, I really am confused, Chris. Do you…I mean…uhm…" she stuttered.

"Do I—what?" he asked her, raising his left eyebrow in question.

"Do you…well, what I mean is… _are you expressing your wishes to court me_?" Kim asked hurriedly, burying her face in her hands. She didn't want to see Chris' expression right after she asked that mortifying question. A few seconds later, she heard him let out a laugh.

"Are you laughing at me?" she fumed, finally raising her head to look at the laughing man in front of her. She grabbed a pillow and tossed it at Chris' head, effectively hitting its target.

"Woah, hey! No need to get violent here!" Chris raised his hands in surrender, still smiling as he looked at the angry girl.

"Look, I'm sorry for laughing at you," he said, kneeling on the floor and holding Kim's hands in his own. "It's just that…well…"

"Well?" Kim asked.

"The way you phrased that question was cute. It was cute. You're cute," he smiled, pinching Kim's right cheek.

"Cute? Am I like a puppy or a child to you?" Kim huffed indignantly, crossing her arms across her chest.

"No. But to answer your question, well…maybe I do want to court you," he said.

"You—you do?"

"Yes, Kim. I like you. I really do. And maybe, we can pretend we're just two normal people. We can pretend for a while that there's no war, no Engineer, no guns, no fire, no anything. Just the two of us. If that's okay with you?"

She could do nothing but smile at him, though she still had doubts in her. "I'd like that. But, wouldn't it be unconventional? A Vietnamese prostitute and an American GI?"

Chris frowned. "Kim, I don't care what other people would think. And you are not a prostitute. You're just a girl who's doing whatever she needs to do to survive. And I admire you for that."

Kim gazed into his blue orbs, finding nothing but sincerity in them. Her shoulders began to relax, and with a small nod of her head, she said, "Okay."

Chris engulfed her in a sweet embrace. "Thank you," he said.

"But…I have one condition," she added, a mischievous smile lighting up her face.

"Uhm…okay? What is it?" Chris asked.

"You must never treat me like a child ever again!"

Chris could only chuckle. "Very well. You're not a child anymore, anyway. You're seventeen, aren't you?"

She nodded her head.

With a hearty laugh, Chris said, "I really do love younger women."

"What?!" Kim exclaimed, pushing herself away from Chris. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked at the smiling GI in front of her. "What now? How old are you, Chris?"

"Guess."

"Chris!"

"Alright! Alright, fine! I'm twenty-one. Is that okay with you?"

Kim tilted her head to the side. When she didn't give an answer right away, Chris felt his smile leave his face. He looked at her seriously, then asked, "Kim? That's okay with you, right?"

"I…" Kim said, her voice impossibly small and soft that Chris had to strain his ears to hear the single word.

He was nervous now. "Kim?"

Kim looked at him and scrunched her eyebrows together. With a pout of her lips, she extended her finger and motioned for him to come closer. So he did.

"Kim?" he asked again.

Kim leaned in to him, and whispered, "Got you." Then, she hit his head with another pillow and scooted to the far side of the bed, laughing.

As Chris watched the dark-haired beauty laughing at him, he felt his whole body relax. He felt…happy. Everything just felt right. With Kim, he felt like a person again, not just some killing machine. He felt human.

Kim was still laughing at him when he pounced on her and tickled her sides. This resulted in her laughs becoming louder, and Chris smiled, "You should laugh more."

Then, he kissed her forehead tenderly. Together, in each other's arms, they watched the sun rise over the city of Saigon. In that moment, the world was still and quiet, so they pretended that they were just two normal people in a normal world where there was no war.


End file.
